Swede’s arrival typifies a January where managers stuck with the tried and
tested

So farewell, January 2014, not one of the classic deadline days but it did serve its glitzy purpose for the Premier League. The frenzy and hype, denials and announcements, dream moves and crushed hopes simply added to the soap opera of the world’s most obsessively followed league. It was just a surprise the day did not start with some celebrity standing outside Premier League HQ inviting all clubs to start their bidding.

Deadline day is made for television and social media, whipping up a storm of speculation, interest and occasional deals. A week earlier, Twitter even posted (old school Royal Mail, not new electronic) a #deadlineday scarf to people within football.

It is a breathless day, one given to snap verdicts and little considered reaction. Once the initial surprise subsides over Arsenal’s pursuit of Kim Kallstrom, a name that underwhelmed fans, some logic can be found to the move.

The Swede knows English football, having played here in the Champions League with Lyon, even winning at Liverpool in 2009. He has played against England. A midfielder does not acquire 106 caps for Sweden without having certain qualities, in Kallstrom’s case a strong left foot and unceasing industry.

He is not Aaron Ramsey. He is not Jack Wilshere. But he can be a decent understudy. He is only 31. More of a problem is that, and this is rare for such an educated nation as the Swedes, Kallstrom does not speak particularly good English.

Wenger will know all about Kallstrom. Part of the theme of the January window was that managers went largely for familiar faces. By contrast, those defenestrated during January include Dani Osvaldo and Andreas Cornelius, highlighting the need for clubs to do proper due diligence into a player’s suitability to club and to English football and also into their character, volatile in Osvaldo’s case.

Osvaldo stayed at St Mary’s 166 days, recorded as many yellows as goals (three), and as many games banned by the Football Association for violent conduct.

He also butted Jose Fonte in training. Osvaldo’s signing was a rare error by former executive Chairman Nicola Cortese. His reputation for excess was well known at Roma and he moved often. Southampton were taking a gamble and, ultimately, a bath. Osvaldo cost some £13 million.

There has to be more sympathy for Cornelius, who has conducted himself with almost chivalry towards Cardiff City. He arrived for a surprisingly large £11 million, including add-ons. His one start, six sub appearances and no goals cost £800,000 in wages. He did not suit the speedy pell-mell of English football but agreed to move back to Copenhagen, forgoing a fortune in the rest of his five-year contract.

A lot of managers have gone with the familiar. At Cardiff, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has recruited from his old club Molde while he knows Fabio from his time at Manchester United and will be well-sourced on Wilfried Zaha. There is a fine player inside Zaha, who just needs to get London out of his system.

At Aston Villa, Paul Lambert turned to his old Norwich warhorse, Grant Holt, while he knows the qualities of Ryan Bertrand.

Chelsea have certainly recruited players they know, like their former midfielder Nemanja Matic from Benfica for £20.75 million and Mohamed Salah, who has really troubled their fullbacks with Basle.

There has been plenty of talk about the footballing cost of taking £37 million from United for Juan Mata and there will be times when they miss him. Yet their biggest problem is still their strikers. After all the grief they endured for illegally acquiring Gaël Kakuta from Lens, Chelsea hoped for more on the pitch than one League start and now a farewell to Lazio for a nominal fee.

Mata was the most significant move of the January window, not simply for the fee but because of the impact on a whole club. Again, Mata was a known commodity. In terms of FFP, Mata will swiftly pay for himself through merchandising, let alone improved results.

At Everton, Roberto Martinez’s decisive personality has been seen as much with his shifting of players out of Everton, mainly on loan, and bringing in a player he long coveted, Aiden McGeady. Lacina Traoré, the tall Ivorian striker on loan from Monaco, has to be considered a gamble yet Martinez has a way of inspiring players. Across Stanley Park, there has been frustration for Liverpool fans at being gazumped over Salah yet a flying right-winger never seemed the main requirement. Liverpool need defenders.

At the other end of the M62, Steve Bruce acted early in the window at Hull, bringing in known quantities in Nikica Jelavic, who rather lost his way to goal at Goodison, and Shane Long, who can look unplayable for periods.

For Newcastle fans, transfer deadline day must feel like school sports day when everyone else is picked for events. They could be forgiven for a mutinous mood today when Sunderland visit. Alan Pardew continues to manage with one hand tied behind his back; Yohan Cabaye’s transfer for £20 million, cheap for such an accomplished midfielder, is a grievous loss. Hatem Ben Arfa is a totally different type of player.

Luuk de Jong has arrived in attack but has much to prove. For Sunderland, Gus Poyet, who is being supported strongly financially by Ellis Short, has employed those he knows, particularly Liam Bridcutt from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Bridcutt’s many admirers believe he will be a hit in the glitzy, broadcast heaven of the Premier League.